Health Lactobacillus is the microbe of the year 2018

The basis of many foods: Lactobacillus named microbe of the year 2018

Billions of people eat Lactobacillus every day: as sourdough bread with cheese or salami, in yoghurt or in the form of sauerkraut, beetroot, pickled cucumbers or olives. Lactobacilli - translated as "milk chopsticks" - make a significant contribution to health. They already protect newborns from pathogens. Now Lactobacillus was named the microbe of the year 2018.

Microbe of the year 2018

Lactobacillus accompanies us from birth: When passing through the maternal birth canal, the bacteria are transmitted to the baby. The lactobacilli protect the newborn from pathogens. Caesarean births lack this protection, so that harmful germs can more easily settle in the immature infant intestine. There are indications that lactobacilli reduce the likelihood of allergies and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and Crohn's disease. Partly nowadays caesarean babies are rubbed with bacteria of the mother directly after the birth. Lactobacillus has now been named microbe of the year 2018 by microbiologists from the Association for General and Applied Microbiology (VAAM).

Lactobacillus was named microbe of the year. The bacterium can be found in dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese. (Image: baibaz / fotolia.com)

Tasty bacilli

The microbe of the year you probably already consumed several times today: as sourdough bread with cheese or salami, in yogurt or in the form of sauerkraut, beetroot, pickled cucumbers or olives, writes the VAAM in a statement.

Lactobacilli - translated "Milk Chopsticks" - are part of our cultural history: Approximately 7000 years ago, cattle breeders settled down in Northern Europe began to increasingly consume milk (products).

The formation of the enzyme lactase, which is actually only present in infants, for the degradation of lactose then prevailed among adult Central Europeans - while, for example, most of the adult Asians still do not tolerate dairy products.

People discovered that acidified milk can be used and delicious: in the form of yogurt, kefir or cheese, for example.

Lactobacillus is primarily responsible for this - as well as for acidification processes for the production of sourdough bread, sauerkraut or other pickled vegetables.

Lactobacillus forms lactic acid from the available carbohydrates. As a result, the pH drops so much that harmful bacteria can not multiply: food will be preserved. About 5,000 such lactobacillus fermented foods are known worldwide.

Helper for body and soul

Lactobacilli carry out many tasks for our health: Thanks to certain enzymes, they make indigestible carbohydrates accessible to humans - especially the fiber from whole grains and vegetables, which stimulate the intestinal bacteria in the small intestine.

Such fibers are nowadays added as "prebiotics" to some foods, for example in the form of the long-chain sugars inulin or oligofructose.

On the other hand, "probiotics" are foods or remedies that specifically contain certain bacterial strains.

Whether natural or added: lactobacilli are important for the function of the intestinal mucosa, which transports nutrients from the intestine to the blood and also supports our immune system. If it is disturbed, infections and autoimmune diseases become more likely.

Studies suggest that lactobacilli may even affect our well-being: Certain strains of Lactobacillus reduce anxiety and depressive behavior in mice - possibly because they produce messengers that play a role in nerve transmission in the brain.

Lactic acid for bioplastics and medical technology

Biotechnologically, lactobacilli are used to produce lactic acid on an industrial scale - around 500,000 tons per year worldwide.

As a food additive (E 270), lactic acid increases the shelf life of confectionery and soft drinks. Soaps, creams and detergents also contain the disinfecting lactic acid.

Linking several lactic acid molecules produces lactic acid chains, the polylactides. The resulting materials are stable but biodegradable, making them a bio-film and packaging material.

Medical technicians use polylactides for sutures and implants that eventually disintegrate in the body. (Ad)